Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Mokiwa alerts Tanzanians to beware of the coming general elections

THE Anglican Church Arch bishop of Diocese of Dar es
salaam Dr Valentine Mokiwa has warned the citizenry in the coming October
general elections to beware of rowdy politicians who have kept on bulling the
general public for mare purpose of lobbying their votes. Bishop Mokiwa made a
concern last week in Dar es Salaam in a press conference whereby he briefed
journalists of the upcoming projects that would be conducted in line with the
celebrations to mark the 50 years anniversary of the existence of his Dar es Salaam
diocese whose climax will be on 5th July 2015. The official
inauguration of these projects is expected to take place on Sunday 4th
this week at the diocese main church of Saint Albano at the city centre. Among the projects to be inaugurated will be a
book that describes the entire history of the Anglican Church of the Dar es
Salaam diocese since its establishment in 1965, challenges and the way forward
for another coming 50 years. In his speech, Dr. Mokiwa said that, it has been a
trend for the Tanzania community to be lured in their minds by rowdy
politicians to vote for them at the expense of numerous promises which have
never been fulfilled, only to find out later that were not qualified for the job.
Speaking over the Presidential contestants for the coming general election, he
said that, the right leader in this top most high position in the country need
someone who would care for the three basic needs which are still a great
challenge for Tanzanians. He said that, Tanzanians should elect a leader who
would care with pain the problems of infrastructures, people’s health and
education which are still ravaging daily lives of most Tanzanians.

However, he
cautioned that Tanzanians should not make a mistake neither should they a
leader just because he longs to a certain party, but rather they should look at
a person who is dedicated enough to stand in a position to solve all these
problems facing them now and then. He further elaborated that, in health status
Tanzanians have lost trust with the government authorities who are fond of
moving outside the country for medical checkup and spend huge sums of taxpayers
money for their medical treatment, a factor which he said is discriminatory in
nature. He noted also that, in the country, there is still poor education
system as the education curriculum currently in use is does not enable
graduates toqualify in the employment
position, and according ti him, it needs review so as to enable the majority
benefit from it. “Then country ids embedded with grand corruption which has
slowed down various development projects and for those executed results into
shoddy construction”, he said adding that, this is a challenge which as a
country it should be addressed adequately. He cited other things like security
at border posts that the concerned authorities are not awake in such a manner
that, Tanzania is used by other people in neighborhood to pass through. He is of the view of the fact that, our
national borders are used as entry points for human trafficking, illegal drugs,
and counterfeit products which continues to harm the health of Tanzanians. As
concerns with the national constitution, he noted that, the nation must respect
people’s opinions as earlier endorsed in the constitution draft of retired
Judge JosephWarioba. He said their
views should be given first priority of consideration in order to let peace
prevail in the country and other than that, the Arch Bishop cautioned that, the
nation is likely to be plunged into civil chaos just like what is happening in
other countries across Africa and the world at large.

AWARD 1

I won the second prize in policy category of the African Information society Initiative ( AISI) awards 2004 which is annually organized by the United Nations- Economic Commission for Africa ( UNECA) based in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia. On the first photo above standing with other awardees after the Ceremony at the National Settlers monument in Grahamstown, South Africa.This was during the 8th Highway Africa Conference.The second photo shows the cross section of Jounalists from different African countries who attended the ceremony.

AWARD 2

I also won the AISI-GKP/SDC Media Award special reporting on WSIS process and Africa, and conferred with the award in Tunis, Tunisia during WSIS summit in 2005. See the photo above.

AWARD 3

Winner on the Media Competition on writing about " Stigma denial and Discrimination" associated with HIV/AIDS. This was organized by theAssociation of Journalists Against Aids in Tanzania ( AJAAT). On the Photo above President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania, ( then the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation) was the guest of honour during the award giving ceremony.This was at Maelezo auditorium in Dar-es-Salaam September 2005.

AWARD 4

Winner on the Media Competition on writing about "Vulnerable Children" associated with HIV/AIDS This was organized by the Association of Journalists Against Aids in Tanzania ( AJAAT)

AWARD 5

Winner of the National ICT Media Award organized By SWOPNET in the Country. On the photo above Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Brigadier General ( Rt) Saidi Kalembo was the guest of honour during the award giving ceremony which was held at New Sarvoy Hotel in morogoro town.I was awarded a Mobile phone and a tape-recorder.

AWARD 6

I participated in the Media Competition in writing about VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing) in Tanzania which was held between July 15th and October 30th 2008 whereby I emerged among the top five winners. The competition was under the program known as “Tanzania bila Ukwimwi inawezekana” which literally means, Tanzania without AIDS disease transmission is possible”. This is a program which was organizedby the Association of Journalists Against AIDS in Tanzania (AJAAT) under TACAIDS funding. In the photo, I am being presented with a certificate of participation by the Chairman of the Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS) Dr. Fatma Mrisho in a colorful ceremony which was held on 22nd December 2008 at Tanzania Information Centre in Dar es Salaam.

AWARD 7

AWARD 8

AWARD 9

I was among the top 17 best selected students who excelled in their final examinations of the 2010/2011 academic year and awarded with the Vice-Chancellor’s prize. I scored 4.5 GPA (First Class) in BA in Journalism. Above I am being given a certificate by the Chairman of the Open University of Tanzania Board of Senate. Standing at the centre facing camera is the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tolly Mbwette. Extreme left partly hidden is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Elifas Bisanda. This occasion took place during the convocation meeting, a day before the graduation day at the prospective permanent headquarter of the Open University of Tanzania which is currently under construction at Bungo-Kibaha in Coast region 40 kilometers away west of Dar es Salaam city.